Crews battle 6ha scrub fire in Waiwhare, Hastings after burn gets out of control

Multiple helicopters arrived with monsoon buckets this morning to help extinguish a large scrub fire in the Hastings district after dozens of firefighters battled the blaze through the night.

The fire in Waiwhare started as a controlled burn but had got out of control, Fire and Emergency central shift manager Shannon Lucas said.

Firefighters arrived at the scene of the fire off River Rd about 9.30pm and quickly escalated the job due to its location, calling in help from rural crews around the district.

Dozens of firefighters fought a 6ha fire in rural Waiwhare overnight. Photo / Warren Buckland

At its peak, eight pumps, three tankers and seven support vehicles were on the scene.

By 3am the fire measured around 6ha and the operation was beginning to slow with some crews being sent home, Lucas said. As of 5am there were still two pumps, one tanker and two support units on the scene.

Hamish Smith, group manager Fire and Emergency Hawke’s Bay, said fire from a burn pit had spread into standing forestry.

“We are working with ground crews and three helicopters,” Smith said around 10am on Friday.

Hamish Smith, group manager for Fire and Emergency Hawke’s Bay, in the foreground at the scene of the massive fire off River Rd. Photo / Warren Buckland

The fire began as a controlled burn that got out of control. By 3am the fire measured around 6ha. Photo / Warren Buckland

“It looks like we will be here for the best part of today and potentially into tomorrow [Saturday].”

He said how long firefighters would stay at the scene depended on weather conditions.

Hastings station officer Fred Housham said there were about six crews of firefighters on the scene as of 10.30am.

Housham confirmed that while precautions were taken for one nearby home, the fire did not spread that far and no one was evacuated.